Pouring spout container



April 6, 1937.

J. M. HOTHERSALL POURING SPOUT CONTAINER Filed Sept. 25, 1934 Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES POURING SPOUT CONTAINER,

John M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 25, 1934, Serial No. 745,471

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to container dispensing and has particular reference to a container or can for liquids which is fully sealed and is provided with a rotatable hinge cover pouring spout unit that in one position is disposed within the rim of the can, the spout being movable into a pouring position Where it extends beyond the can rim after the can is opened,'and then following a pouring action the spout unit may be used as a reclosure for the can.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a sealed pouring spout can for liquids which provides a directed pouring action during dispensing, after which the spout unit provides a reclosure for the opened can.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sealed can for liquids having a confined, movable pouring spout which, after the can is opened, may be positioned for pouring where it directs the flow of liquid issuing therefrom, a-

hinge cover for the spout being held at such time out of the way of the discharging stream, the spout with its hinge cover being movable into a closing position after a dispensing operation, thereupon rescaling the can.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rotatable, lunged cover for a pouring spout for a sealed can adapted to contain a liquid, which is movable into liquid pouring position upon opening of the can and subsequently acts as a reclosure for the can.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which,

taken in, connection with the accompanying drawing, disclosesa. preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing: c

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of a can and a pouring spout embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the spout and adjacent sealed can parts as viewed substantially along the line 2--2 in Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional detail taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of the same parts as illustrated in Fig. 2 and showing the container after opening and with the pouring spout positioned as for pouring; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail taken through the spout and viewing the underside of its hinged cover, said view being taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a metal can II which may be of any desired shape for packaging or containing a liquid. The upper end of'the can may be closed by a suitable metal cover member l3 which, in the form illustrated, comprises a central panel 14 surrounded by an upstanding rim l5 which is curled over at l6 into close engagement with the upper curled ,rim. ll of the can ll. Bendable cover lugs iii are engaged under the can curl and complete the assembly.

The outer or upper edge of the curled cover rim I6 is a substantial distance above the panel part It, this being a usual cover construction. In the present construction a further depression is formed in the panel wall, this being designated generally by the numeral I9, Figs. 1, 2,and 4. At

the time the cover l3'is sealed onto theupper part of the can it is imperforate and the liquid contents are then fully enclosed within the can. Provision is made for opening the can when dispensing of its contents is desired by breaking through the cover wall.

The depression I9 is bounded at the bottom by a floor 2| which is substantially parallel to the upper edge l6 of the rim I5 and a depressed and. angularly disposed socket or depression 22 is formed in the floor. This socket comprises an inclined central panel 23 which merges into an upstanding annular side wall 24. It is this socket which is adapted to contain a part of the pouring spout. Before considering the spout, however, further can wall constructions will first be noted.

The wall 23 (Fig. 3) is weakened or, partially out through with score lines 25 and 26, the former substantially but not entirely enclosing a kidney shaped area 21. The circular part of the score line 25 is concentric with the, side wall 24 of the socket 22. Inner straight portions of this score line 25 are in a straight line which is located near the center of the inclined wall 23 and the terminal ends of this part of the line are slightly separated leaving an unscored bridge part 28. Opposite the bridge part and adjacent the outer boundary of the socket 22, the wall 23 is pressed into a reinforcing part 29 which is adapted to be engaged by a blunt instrument or other suitable opening device which is used to open the can. This opening is effected by pressing down on the enclosed area 21 with suflicient Fig. 4. This shifting of parts provides a. pouring opening 3| and opens the can.

The second score 26 is much shorter and encloses a smaller kidney shaped area 32 which is opposite to the other wall part already mentioned. The terminal ends of the score line 26 terminate short of each other and leave a connecting bridge 33 which functions in the same manner as the bridge 28 when the score line 26 is broken through. A reinforcing part 34 is struck upfrom the metal contained within the area 32 and when this is engaged by an opening tool the score bounded part is also bent down into the can as illustrated in Fig. 4, the bridge line 33 forming the line of bend. This provides a vent opening 35 for the can.

The socket 22 is the seat for a rotatable pouring spout 4| which is formed with an annular spout body 42 open at its bottom or lower end.

A lower edge part or terminal portion 43 of the spout body is movably mounted and disposed adjacent the confining side wall 24 of the socket, this latter wall being sloped or flared inwardly at its upper edge and the spout section 43 is similarly tapered or flared outwardly as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. This construction confines the spout body against removal from its socket seat but does not interfere with free rotatable movement of the spout.

At one side the annular spout body 42 is laterally extended in a trough-like pouring lip 45 which, when the spout is in non-pouring position, is confined within the depression IQ of the can cover member and the entire spout is below the can cover rim (Figs. 1 and 2).

An elongated spout cover 46 is hinged at one end to the spout body 42. For this purpose a hinge plate '41 (Figs. 4 and 5) is secured to the under-face of the cover and is bent at one end into a hinged socket 48. This socket end extends through and has hinging movement within a slot 49 cut in the rear wall of the spout body. A

pintle part 5| is thus produced in the spout body wall over the slot 49 and provides the hinging support for the spout cover.

The opposite end of the spout is preferably formed with a bent catch part 55 which is adapted to snap over the end of the spout lip 45 when the cover is moved into spout closing 50 position, This spout cover is so shaped and dimensioned as to completely enclose the upper or open edge of the spout. Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the spoutcover 46 in spout closing position and it will be observed that cover as well as spout lip are disposed below the top of the can. Fig.

4 shows the cover after it has been raised to uncover the spout lip and after the spout has been rotated on the inclined wall 23 and has moved up and over the can rim in its pouring position. Provision is made for positively holding the spout cover 46 in raised position so it will not obstruct the free fiow of liquid through the spout during emptying of the can. For this purpose a support plate 56 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) is pro- 5 vided. Plate 56 is slotted at 51 and the adjacent edge section of the plate as at 58 is used as a pintle for a hinging connection with the hinged plate 41. The latter opposite to the formed socket is curved to form a second pintle socket 70 59 which has hinging movement within the slot 51 and over the pintle 58.

The upper edges of the side walls of the pouring lip 45 on opposite sides are notched at 6| and when the spout cover 46 is disengaged at its 75 snap end 55 and is swung back into open position, the support plate 56 is carried to a position above the edges of the spout lip and falls into the notches 6| formed therein. This holds the spout cover in open position as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and allows for free pouring action of the liquid contents of the cam, which pouring action is effected by tilting the can in the usual manner. The liquid passing out through the pouring opening 3| and by way of the spout lip 45 is discharged from the end of the lip in a controlled stream as best shown in Fig. 4.

After the dispensing action the spout cover 46 is hinged back a little further which movement frees its lower edge from the spout and the support plate 56 thereupon falls down inside of the spout as the can is again righted, this position being illustrated in Fig. 2, the spout unit having been rotated in its seat to reach the non-pouring position shown in that figure. This is the same position of the hinged spout cover and the pouring spout when the can filled with its liquid contents and fully sealed is first received by the ultimate consumer. It will thus be observed that opening the can by breaking'the score lines 25, 26, turning the spout out and over the can rim, lifting the cover and tilting the can are all simple actions leading to a controlled delivery of the can contents.

After a pouring action any liquid which may adhere to the trough of the pouring spout lip 45 drains back along the lip and passes into the can through its opening 3|. This prevents any messy spilling of the liquid on the top of the can.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material ad- .vantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a wall having a depression surrounded by a projecting rim, a portion of the wall within the depression having weakened sectionsv adapted to be perforated to form a discharge opening and a vent opening for the container, a pouring spout comprising a pouring lip and an annular open ended spout body rotatably disposed in said depression with the open end of the spout body surrounding said weakened sections and retained below the said projecting rim, said spout being movable into a pouring position with its lip extending over said rim and adjacent said discharge opening, a hinged cover for said spout hingedly secured to said spout body and adapted to extend over and close said spout lip, and means for holding said cover in open position during discharge of the container contents over said spout lip.

2. A container comprising a wall having a depression surrounded by a projecting rim, a pouring spout comprising a pouring lip and an annular spout body rotatably disposed in said depression, a spout cover hingedly secured to said annular body opposite to said pouring lip and engageable with the latter when moved into spout closing position, and a support member hingedly secured to said cover and engageable with the spout for holding said cover in open position during discharge of the container contents by way of said spout.

3. A pouring spout for a liquid container comprising, an annular body projected upwardly and swam laterally into a troughlike pouring lip, said spout body being adapted for engagement with the container, a cover for said spout having hinged eng'agement at one end with said annular body and having snap engagement at its opposite end with said pouring lip during which engagement the cover is in spout closing position, and a support plate hinged on said cover adjacent its hinged connection with said spout and having engagement with the latter for holding said cover in open position so that the contents of the container may be freely discharged through the pouring spout.

4. A container comprising a wall having a de- {5 pression .deflned by an inwardly flared annular wall, a portion of the wall within the depression having weakened sections adapted to be periorated to form a opening for the container, an open ended pouring spout rotatably mounted in said depression, the open end of the spout terminating in an outwardly flared annular wall snugly fltting within said inwardly flared wall of the depression to prevent axial displacement of said spoutrelative to said wall, said spout having a pouring lip and rotatable in said depression to pouring position with said lip extending over said wall and to nonpouring position with the lip disposed within the marginal conflnes of said wall. 1

' JOHN M. HO'I'HERSAIL.

discharge opening and a vent 

